Background

UNDP has a long history of partnership with ADB which has been largely focused on the development of intellectual and knowledge products including a flagship joint UNDP-ADB-UNESCAP MDG report. Despite this cooperation, the financial contribution of ADB to UNDP has been very limited both at the regional and country levels. One unexplored area also includes cooperation within regional initiatives such as CAREC and GMS.

In November 2014, RBAP ASG visited ADB HQ to build a stronger more strategic UNDP-ADB partnership and explore future possibilities for growth that include new areas of innovation, scale and implementation. It was then agreed that UNDP will explore with ADB the possibility of bringing UNDP’s track record in helping governments effectively deliver to ADB’s work in challenging environments.

Duties and Responsibilities

Objective:

The purpose of this assignment is to revisit the past and current partnerships between ADB and UNDP in the Asia-Pacific region; and explore new opportunities to establish a deeper and long term working relationship between ADB and UNDP in this region. The outcome of the consultancy should also include recommendations on unfolding new potential avenues for programme and funding arrangements.

Scope of Work

The assignment is expected to be completed with the team of two consultants. Both consultants will work together and complement each other’s work to produce one product.

This assignment aims to:

  • With the guidance of Chief, Regional Policy and Programme, to produce an assessment of potential for strengthened cooperation between UNDP Asia/Pacific and the ADB. Based on consultations with ADB and UNDP colleagues on past experience and identify the potential for partnerships and resource mobilization for Asia Pacific and prospects for regional engagement;
  • Assessment of bottlenecks for UNDP cooperation with the ADB and identity new ways of partnering in Asia-Pacific both at country levels, including concrete recommendations for engagement;
  • Carry out discussions with ADB colleagues as well UNDP COs/BRH to identify entry points for the partnership in this region and suggest an action plan to engage more regularly with the ADB.

Expected Outputs and Deliverables

The main output of this consultancy is a partnership strategy (not more than 30 pages) for UNDP’s strengthened cooperation with the ADB in Asia-Pacific. Both consultants will work together and complement each other’s work to produce one product. A summary of the partnership strategy will be later customized into a proposal from UNDP to ADB to continue a dialogue for stronger and more strategic cooperation.

The consultant will be lead a regional component and focus on the following chapters of the strategy:

  • Background and business case for partnership;
  • Overview of the ADB’s new structure and its partnership strategies with countries in Asia/Pacific; Information about regional initiatives (CAREC, GMS);
  • ADB’s vision for Asia-Pacific and its value added to the UN/UNDP’s work in the region;
  • Assessment of current cooperation at the regional level, including issues/bottlenecks in existing cooperation and suggest ways to overcome them;
  • Recommendations for engagement within the framework of regional initiatives such as CAREC and GMS, based on UNDP’s experiences in other regions;
  • Recommendations for expanding the cooperation, including new entry points as well as funding frameworks for cooperation such as UNDP’s support with implementation of ADB loans and “fee for services” model based on UNDP’s experiences in other regions.

Both consultants will be responsible also for producing an engagement action plan (next 6 months) for UNDP’s work in Asia-Pacific with ADB as an Annex to the partnership strategy and guidance note.

Institutional Arrangement

The consultant will complete his/her tasks together with and under the overall supervision of the Chief, Regional Policy and Programme, in close collaboration with the Regional Partnership Specialist.

Duration of the Work:

  • 7 September 2015- 26 September 2015 (up to 20 working days)

Competencies

Functional Competencies:

  • Strong analytical, reporting and writing abilities;
  • Adaptation and application of knowledge/innovation in different context;
  • Client orientation.

Required Skills and Experience

 Education:

  • University education completed (preferred a master degree in economics, law or a similar discipline).

Experience:

  • 10+ years of work experience with IDBs, UNDP or other multilateral agencies;
  • Proven experience in partnership building and assessment in Asia and Pacific with IDBs;
  • Good understanding of development landscape in Asia and Pacific;
  • Proved experience in handling a variety of  internal business clients.

Language:

  • Good command of English both written and spoken.

Duty Station:

  • Home based.

Expected places of travel:

  • 3-day visit to Manila, Philippines

Price Proposal and Schedule of Payments:

Consultant must send a financial proposal based on Lump Sum Amount

The total amount quoted shall be all-inclusive and include all costs components required to perform the deliverables identified in the TOR, including professional fee, travel costs, living allowance (if any work is to be done outside the IC´s duty station) and any other applicable cost to be incurred by the IC in completing the assignment. The contract price will fixed output-based price regardless of extension of the herein specified duration.

Payments will be done upon completion of the deliverables/outputs and as per below percentages:

  • Deliverable 1/After the contract is signed and submission of work plan : 30% of total contract amount;
  • Deliverable 2/Submission of Final Report : 70% of total contract amount.

In general, UNDP shall not accept travel costs exceeding those of an economy class ticket. Should the IC wish to travel on a higher class he/she should do so using their own resources.

In the event of unforeseeable travel not anticipated in this TOR, payment of travel costs including tickets, lodging and terminal expenses should be agreed upon, between the respective business unit and the Individual Consultant, prior to travel and will be reimbursed.

Evaluation Method and Criteria:

Individual consultants will be evaluated based on the following methodology.

Cumulative analysis

The award of the contract will be made to the individual consultant whose offer has been evaluated and determined as:

  • Responsive/compliant/acceptable, and
  • Having received the highest score out of a pre-determined set of weighted technical (70%) and financial criteria (30%) specific to the solicitation.

 Financial score shall be computed as a ratio of the proposal being evaluated and the lowest priced proposal received by UNDP for the assignment. Only candidates obtaining a minimum of 350 technical points would be considered for the Financial Evaluation

Technical Criteria for Evaluation (Maximum 500 points):

  • Criteria 1 : Education - Max 50 points;
  • Criteria 2 : Experience with IDBs, UNDP or other multilateral agencies: Max 200 points;
  • Criteria 3 : Experience with IDBs, UNDP or other multilateral agencies: Max 100 points;
  • Criteria 4 : Understanding of development landscape in Asia and Pacific: Max 50 points;
  • Criteria 5 : Experience in handling a variety of  internal business clients: Max 50 points;
  • Criteria 6 : Good command of English both written and spoken: Max 50 points.

Documentation required

Interested individual consultants must submit the following documents/information to demonstrate their qualifications. Please group them into one (1) single PDF document as the application only allows to upload maximum one document:

  • Letter of Confirmation of Interest and Availability using the template provided in Annex 2;
  • Personal CV and P11, indicating all past experience from similar projects, as well as the contact details (email and telephone number) of the Candidate and at least three (3) professional references;
  • Financial proposal, as per template provided in Annex 2;
  • Brief description of why the individual considers him/herself as the most suitable for the assignment.

Incomplete proposals may not be considered.

Annexes:

 For any clarification regarding this assignment please write to brh.gef.procurement@undp.org